By Jamie Martin
A recent survey shows that rural voters in several Midwestern states strongly support year-round E15 fuel legislation and believe it could help strengthen the agricultural economy.
The poll was conducted by YouGov on behalf of Rural Voices USA and included 1,000 rural registered voters from Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. The survey was carried out from February 14 to February 25, 2026.
“Rural voters see the farm crisis enveloping their communities and are looking for answers from Congress,” said Rural Voices USA Board Chairman Chris Gibbs. “This survey shows that rural voters and farm families want their members of Congress to go to bat for them on E15 because it ripples across the farm economy. Members of Congress would be wise to listen and stop the delays.”
According to the results, 57% of rural voters say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate for Congress who supports year-round E15 fuel legislation. Support is even stronger among farm families. In that group, 71% say they would be more likely to support a candidate who backs up the policy.
Some states show particularly high levels of support. In Iowa, 64% of rural voters say a candidate’s support for E15 would make them more likely to vote for that person. In Nebraska, 69% say the same thing.
The survey also shows that learning more about ethanol’s economic benefits can influence opinions. After hearing more information about E15, about 68% of rural voters say they would support year-round legislation.
Agriculture continues to be an important issue for rural communities. The poll shows that 88% of rural voters consider farming and agriculture an important factor when deciding their vote for Congress. More than half describe it as extremely important.
Based on these results, Rural Voices USA has expanded its public awareness campaign urging lawmakers to pass year-round E15 legislation. The campaign includes updated digital billboards and online advertisements across the five states to highlight strong support among farm families.
Supporters say the policy could significantly increase demand for corn. Estimates suggest year-round E15 could raise corn demand by more than two billion bushels annually. Analysts also estimate the policy could create over 128,000 jobs, increase national economic output by about $25.8 billion, and save consumers more than $20 billion in fuel costs.
Advocates believe expanded ethanol use could provide important economic support to farmers while strengthening domestic energy production.
Photo Credit: shutterstock-dickgage
Categories: National